1.Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of spinal orthotic devices, which are configured as elements of a modular system.
Such a spinal orthotic device is known from Unexamined German Patent DE 103 29 454 A1, among others.
Various symptoms in the spinal area are treated with a variety of orthotic devices which support and/or align the spine in the affected portions and/or restrict its mobility in the various planes. The supporting behavior and the stiffness of the orthotic device are determined by the patient's progress in recovery. In the past, new orthotic devices would be prescribed repeatedly in the course of recovery so that their supporting behavior or rigidity would take into account the patient's indication as well as the patient's current progress in recovery.
To reduce costs for medical insurance carriers, modular systems for orthotic devices that can be adapted approximately to the area of the spine to be supported have been developed. An example of such a modular system is known from DE 103 29 454 A1.
However, the modular system known previously does not meet all the demands of flexibility and adaptability. For example, the known modular system does not allow optional support in the sagittal plane or simultaneous support in both sagittal and frontal planes. In addition, there are no provisions for adapting the rigidity of the support to the particular progress during recovery. Finally, the modular system known in the past does not allow fine adjustment of the orthotic device that is to be configured to the particular body size of the wearer in fine increments.
2.Summary of the Invention
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a modular system for spinal orthotic devices such that its spinal orthotic devices can be adapted flexibly to a great extent to the particular symptoms and the patient's progress in recovery. With the smallest possible number of elements, the largest possible variety of orthotic devices should configurable so that they can be used with a variety of diseases and their supporting properties can be increased or decreased.
This object is achieved by a modular system having the technical features of Claim 1. The object for which patent protection is sought is such a spinal orthotic device that can be configured using this modular system, although the spinal orthotic device cannot make use of all elements of the modular system in principle.
The seven elements described in Claim 1 (see also a1) to c1), e1), g1), h1) and i1))—the lower abdominal corset (also known as a lumbar spinal corset), the upper abdominal corset (also known as a shoulder strap system), the corset supporting element (also known as a basic truss pad), the thoracic corset (also known as a thoracic orthotic or thoracic orthotic device), the curved supporting clasp on a corset supporting element, the supporting element and the abdominal truss pad—constitute the basic elements of the basic modular system from which the inventive orthotic devices can be configured. Some of the basic elements of the modular kit are needed for various orthotic devices and thus are reusable if the patient needs a different orthotic device. The modular system also allows therapeutically correct training of the spine, wherein elements are removed successively from a more complex orthotic device, which is thus dismantled incrementally. If there is a delay in recovery, it is possible at any time to return an orthotic device that has been removed too soon, to thereby return to a higher level of support.
The advantage of this fundamental modular system may be regarded as the fact that with a minimal number of elements, as listed in Claim 1, a wide variety of orthotic devices can be assembled for the particular application case. The respective orthotic devices can be adapted in a flexible manner to each patient's particular medical and physical needs with an accurate fit. Expedient embodiments of the first basic modular system of a spinal orthotic device are characterized in subordinate Claims 2 to 9.
The essential difference from the second basic exemplary embodiment according to the additional Claims 10 to 15 may be regarded as the fact that additional elements must be added to make the particular orthotic devices expandable among one another. For example, an additional connecting element is used in the second basic exemplary embodiment. Furthermore, the corset supporting elements are designed as truss pads (also called pelotte) in a complex manner. A basic truss pad (also called basic pelotte) is used as the corset supporting element in the second basic exemplary embodiment.
The nine elements described in Claim 10 (see a2) to i2))—the lower abdominal corset, the upper abdominal corset, the basic truss pad, the lumbar extension for the basic truss pad, the thoracic corset, the connecting element, the bridging frame, the supporting element and the abdominal truss pad—are the basic elements of the additional modular system with which at least seven different orthotic devices can be configured according to this invention. Some of the basic elements of the modular kit are needed for different orthotic devices and are thus reusable if the patient needs a different orthotic device. The modular system also allows therapeutically correct training in that elements are removed successively from a more complex orthotic device, which is therefore decreased incrementally. It is possible at any time to reassemble the orthotic device that has been removed too soon in the event of a delay in recovery in order to thereby return to a higher level of support.
Expediently a sectional truss pad, which is known per se, is selected as the basic truss pad, comprising four sections joined together in an articulated fashion and arranged along the lumbar spine, transversely bridging the third to fifth lumbar vertebra and the first sacral vertebra. Such a sectional truss pad has proven excellent in therapeutic practice in comparison with other truss pads.
Since the joints of the sectional truss pad usually also allow a certain mobility of the individual sections in relation to one another in the sagittal plane, it is advisable to provide a fixation element within the modular system, so that it can be placed in a posterior position on the sectional truss pad, so that the sections of the truss pad are secured immovably in relation to one another in the sagittal plane.
A suitable lumbar extension for a sectional truss pad comprises two sections that can be connected together in an articulated manner plus two supporting rails, where the sections of the lumbar extension can be inserted into the sectional truss pad in such a way that the sections of the sectional truss pad, which has been extended by the lumbar extension, bridge the first to fifth lumbar vertebrae as well as the first sacral vertebra transversely and the supporting rails can be placed laterally on the sectional truss pad in such a way that at least the sections bridging the first four lumbar vertebrae are secured immovably in relation to one another. The lumbar extension for a sectional truss pad is thus not attached to the existing sectional truss pad to also include vertebrae L1 and L2, but instead is inserted into the sectional truss pad, so that the section that was assigned to L3 in the basic configuration now bridges L1. One section of the lumbar extension is allocated to L2, while the other section of the lumbar extension continues to support L3.
To make the supporting rigidity of the bridging frame more adjustable, it is advisable to provide a tenth element in the form of reinforcing rods that can be secured on the bridging frame to adjust the rigidity.
Additional measures that improve the present invention are characterized in the subordinate claims or are presented below and explained in greater detail jointly with the description and the preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention on the basis of the figures. FIGS. 1 to 12 illustrate the first basic modular system for spinal orthotic devices. The additional FIGS. 13 to 28, however, additionally disclose the fundamental modular system for spinal orthotic devices: